Geranium plant named ‘Dueamarostar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Dueamarostar’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; and red and light pink bi-colored double flowers.

Botanical denomination: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Dueamarostar’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Geranium Plant Named ‘Dueameliastar’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/172,054 Applicant: Marga Dümmen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueamarostar’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and freely-flowering Ivy Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Ivy Geranium is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number E-01-13, not patented. The cultivar Dueamarostar was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings at Rheinberg, Germany since December, 2003 has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dueamarostar’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dueamarostar’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Red and light pink bi-colored double flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in flower color as plants of the parent selection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Dueameliastar in flower color as plants of the cultivar Dueamarostar have red purple and light pink bi-colored flowers.

The new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Mexikanerin, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Mexikanerin in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more compact and had         shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Mexikanerin.     -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more freely branching         than plants of the cultivar Mexikanerin.     -   3. Leaves of the new Ivy Geranium did not have a distinct         zonation pattern whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar         Mexikanerin had a distinct zonation pattern.     -   4. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and the cultivar Mexikanerin         differed in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar         Mexikanerin had red purple and white bi-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dueamarostar’grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Dueamarostar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles. Plants were grown in 10.5 cm containers. Plants were pinched about three weeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photograph and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar     Dueamarostar. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number E-01-13,     not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 20° C.             Winter: About 7 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—Summer: About three weeks at 20° C.             Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Compact, upright and outwardly spreading             plant habit, rounded plant form; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely             basal branching, about five to six lateral branches per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Internode length:             About 2.25 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 5.9 cm. Width: About 6.7 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:             Acute. Base: Peltate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: 137A; no distinct zonation pattern.             Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C.             Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. Petiole: Length:             About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red and light pink bi-colored double             flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels arising             from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage             on upright peduncles. Flowers rounded in form. Umbels             persistent, flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; plants have about             eight open umbels with about seven to ten flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through             summer.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant.         -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 8 cm. Height: About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height): About 2             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About             2.8 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Center, 69C to 69D; towards the margin and             longitudinal stripes, 46B; towards the base, 64A to 64B;             margin and stripe color becoming closer to 46C with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Center, 69C to 69D; towards the margin and longitudinal             stripes, 42A.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About ten. Length: About             2.4 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Center, 69C to 69D; towards the margin and             longitudinal stripes, 46B; margin and stripe color becoming             closer to 46C with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Center, 69C to 69D; towards the             margin and longitudinal stripes, 42A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five, arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 3.6 mm.             Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 11.5 cm. Diameter:             About 1 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.9 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A overlain with 183C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: 59B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color:             59B to 59C. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 2D. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 5° to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Dueamarostar’, as herein illustrated and described. 